


Snaps in Time

by Annasanvk



Category: Tiny Pretty Things (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 05:53:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28346442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Annasanvk/pseuds/Annasanvk
Summary: Where I will store my one-shots when inspiration doesn't wish to wait for me to think up a story... I'm planning on collecting all my one-shots in here, so it won't just one fandom featuring in here^^
Comments: 4
Kudos: 11





	Snaps in Time

**Author's Note:**

> And here it is; my newest obsession; ‘Tiny Pretty things’. I read both the book as watched the series and I must say I quite like them both.  
> The different vantage points of the different characters, although sometimes difficult to follow, are enjoyable. If you haven’t read or watched the series yet, I employ you. It’s good, although, I suppose it has to be your cup of tea.
> 
> Enjoy^^
> 
> This is a work of fiction. This is not a commercial work and never will be. 
> 
> Not entirely sure if this is necessary, but spoilers ahead...

Summary: Where Bette makes a different choice while standing on the roof of the Archer…

* * *

Pretty Tiny Things - Bette

The Abyss

And if thou gaze long into an abyss, the abyss will also gaze into thee. Bette had never really understood those words, but now— Now she did. Literally and metaphorically as she stared down the ledge.

Down at the grey stones and the assembling crowd to the side, gathered around Cassie Shore as she held her little press conference, declaring Bette the one who’d pushed her off the roof. Bette watched the photographers with their cameras, buzzing around like flies, and their large news vans with enormous satellite dishes on the roofs.

All there to hang on the lips of seventeen-year-old Cassie Shore listing up the lies she’d probably practised in front of the hospital mirror.

Curling her fingers into tight fists, Bette swallowed and hissed, her breath escaping her in soft, wispy clouds. It was cold today. Colder even so far up, no longer sheltered between the buildings and Bette shivered. Even worse, the weather was dank and grey, and even from her vantage point, she could see the pale faces of the crowd, listening with rapid attention.

Bette couldn’t hear what was being said, but—

No one noticed her, but then again, Bette had always gone unnoticed. Second best to the perfect older sister who’d been her age, younger even, when she’d been plucked out of school and right into her blooming carrier. It was something Bette would never be able to do.

Either, she’d take the blame of pushing Cassie and her career as a ballerina was over (no matter that her mother said otherwise), or she would be disowned by her family. Bette held no illusions what that would do to her.

She might have been able to get herself a scholarship, but her name would forever be tied to Deliah and the girl _she_ pushed off the roof. If they would even believe her, that is.

Bette straightened up a bit more and blew at the hairs having escaped the tight bun she’d wrestled it in this morning. Would it hold once she fell? Would it hurt?

Bette didn’t know if she wanted to find out or not, but her foot wavered on the edge, only her heel on the stone ledge. Behind her, the metal door back inside clucked open, and she didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

“Bette!”

Bette barely even turned towards her sister, her back still ram-rod straight and her mouth a tight line.

“Don’t do anything stupid, please.”

“Except it could be genius, actually. Crash Cassie’s press conference with my statement smack on the street.” Bette whispered, emotion breaking her voice, and she almost lost her balance, all her weight sliding just so. Deliah’s face blanched, and she took a slow step closer.

“I wanted to come clean—” she said, “—but mom told me not to.”

Bette snorted as tears tracked down her cheeks. “Yeah, because you’re her favourite.”

“Because she had a point,” Deliah corrected. “We can get through this if we do it as a family.”

“Except, I will pay the price,” Bette whispered, her stomach churning and again she peered down at the ground below, with slanted eyes. Either way, she would lose— And she was so tired of losing.

“It was an accident, Beth!” Deliah tried, her expression morphing into something ugly. “I found the rose Cassie for Ramon and some stupid love note.”

“You jealous of Cassie?”

“She’s younger. Shinier. Turning Ramon’s head.”

“Ramon is just one choreographer.”

Deliah snorted. “And if I can keep him hard, I can keep him watching. But I heard talks of Cassie being plucked out of the Archer to be principal at City Works. I’d be old news before I’d even started.”

Bette let out an angry gasp, the tears dripping down her chin. “You’re a star.”

“For how long?” She gasped.

“Plenty of dancers have long carriers.”

“Most don’t,” she disagreed, “admit it, having her gone has been good for you too.”

Biting her lip hard — hard enough to taste blood — she considered that. In many ways, Cassie’s absence had been good for her. Bette had become the Queen Bee without Cassie there, and it had been a spot she’d liked. A place she thought she’d deserved, but— she wasn’t sure if it was all worth it.

“We either work together, for once, or that bitch cuts us both,” Deliah whispered holding out her hand. “Please, Bette—”

Bette considered it again. It would be easy, stepping away from the ledge and let her sister tell her sweet little lies. Perhaps her mother would finally see her if she did but—

“No,” Bette denied, her decision already made. She met her elder sister’s gaze head-on. “No. I’ve bled enough for all of you.” And she stepped forward.

Her right foot met only air and, without its support, her left leg jerked, instinctively trying to catch her balance, but it was too late.

Her body weight caught and dragged down by gravity and Bette felt her body topple over. For a moment, she was airborne frozen in the air and it was a wonderful feeling. Indescribable and although it only was a few seconds, Bette floated through the air.

Although, of course, gravity would take over and meeting the ground below was inescapable.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: I don’t really understand why people hat her so much. No she wasn’t always a good or even pleasant person, but she was so relatable. I understood where she came from, even if I didn’t approve of her actions. Besides, I felt she went through some serious character development. And I didn’t think she deserved what she got in the end. Anyway, I wondered what the story would be like, if she did jump.


End file.
